DARRANGAMELA (Nalbari), June 4? There will be no letup on the part of Indian Army in the counter-insurgency operation in the State notwithstanding the war cloud looming large over the western front of the country. Major General Gaganjit Singh, the GOC 21 Mountain Division which has been playing a lead role in fighting militants in the State, told this newspaper today that the prospect of an Indo-Pak war was not likely to ?affect the Army operation under unified command against insurgents in Assam.? The senior Army Officer who was here to inaugurate a drinking water plant set up by the 15 Rajput Battalion of the Army with financial aid from Nalbari District administration to cater to the need of about 15,000 strong populace in this insurgency ravaged Indo-Bhutan border area, said the constant pressure on the ultras would be maintained despite war clouds getting thicker in the western sector.
When drawn to reports about the Royal Government of Bhutan agreeing to share intelligence about movements and activities of ULFA and NDFB militants camping inside the Himalayan Kingdom, the Major General declined to give a direct reply, although he said the Indian security forces had the latest information about ULFA and NDFB positions and activities inside Bhutan. He said, ?The leaders of both the ULFA and NDFB are finding it hard to hold their forts intact in Bhutan as disillusioned cadres are waiting for a ?opportunity to break free.? The GOC?s statement was corroborated by an ex-ULFA cadre, Tapan Rajbongshi, who surrendered before the Army here recently. Talking to this correspondent, the former ULFA man who joined the ranks of the outfit in the year 2000 and underwent training in Bhutan, said he had decided to give up after getting disillusioned with the leadership, and most importantly to save his life.
The Army officials operating in this bordering area which used to be a corridor of movements for both the ULFA and NDFB ultras to Bhutan jungles across the border, the heart of Darrangamela area has been sanitised of ultras. The Army officials said although in the remote inaccessible areas along the foothills of the Bhutanese Himalayas, the militants were still active, the security forces were now getting feedback from the villagers about the militants? movements in the area, thanks to Operation Samaritan of the Army that helped a lot to reduce the communication gaps between the Army and locals in the area.
According to the incharge of 40-year-old Darrangamela Vaishnavite Satra which is a branch of Barpeta Satra, Ramakanta Deka, the people of this border area were no longer living in constant threat from militants (at least for the last one year ) as the Army has succeeded in neutralising the ultras in the area. Das? views were echoed by Father Joseph, the Principal of Sashipur Don Bosco School in the area and Sukhbinder Kaur, teacher of the same school. They said the situation in the area has improved a lot of late.
The Deputy Commissioner of Nalbari District, B Kalyan Chakraborty, who was also here to witness the inauguration of the drinking water plant, claimed that the people of this area were no longer living under threat from militants as they used to do earlier. However, the peace in the area will not be a permanent phenomenon if the Government fails to develop the area where the people are living sans any medical facility and civic amenities.